Contigo
by CJzilla
Summary: Sequal to The Game of Love. Dr. Chipotle Jr. and Black Cuervo have a good love, however Zoë's mother and grandmami disapprove of the young Chipotle boy. A jealous El Tigre does not help. So the fight is on to save what they have.
1. Let The Children Play

Hey... been a while, huh? So let's cut out the heart-felt apologies and skip to the good stuff... a sequal to my "The Game of Love", featuring my favorite El Tigre pairing Black Cuervo & Dr. Chipotle Jr.

_Synopsis: 6 months after their first meeting, Dr. Chipotle Jr. and Black Cuervo have a good love going. But when Zoë's mother and grandmother declare Dr. Chipotle Jr. a misfit and unworthy, he has to pull out all stops to get the Flock's approval. Meanwhile, a jealous El Tigre does not appreciate the partnership between Dr. Chipotle Jr. and Black Cuervo. It seems that all forces are out to destory the two pint-sized supervillains' love. Will it survive?_

I take most of my inspiration and titles from the great Carlos Santana, so if you see a connection, you now know.

AN: As I tear down this city, all CJzilla has to roar is this: Flame... fluff... I don't care. CJzilla owns nothing of El Tigre or Carlos... I own story and reviews...

**_Contigo: _**

**_1. with you _**

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**_Contigo_**

Chapter 1

_Let The Children Play_

The bell rang. Doors of class rooms flew open and kids suddenly flooded the once quiet hallways. Tumblers in locker doors made quite a deafening sound, but not enough to overshadow the excited talking of the Leone Middle School children. They only had about five minuets of unadulterated chat time with their friends before they scrambled to their next class.

From a third-person view point, the change of classes was a trivial affair. Children would treat this time like the last cold glass of water in the middle of a desert. It's not like there weren't other period changes where they saw their friends; OR lunch time. That's not even mentioning once school was let out. Still the kids savored every last second of the five minuets allowed to switch classes.

Finally, the warning bell rang. Some kids, like the studious or well behaved, immediately ran to their next class room. Others took a more casual approach by moseying from room to room. But suddenly the hallways were clear of students. And then the final bell rang. 7th period had begun. It was now time for him to come out of the shadows and head to his next class.

And from the darkness of the stairwell, a small figure emerged. Huffing, Diego Chavez finally stepped into the quiet hallway, thankful that the unearthly din of squealing girls, chortling boys and sniffling nerds didn't make him deaf. Grasping his books under his arm, he made his way unhindered to his next class.

From a physical standpoint, this scowling niño pequeño wasn't much to look at. Small height, small frame and even smaller feet, his glasses seemed bigger than he was. But for anyone who knew Diego… his attitude, intellect and reputation _certainly_ made up for his slight stature. Leone Middle School had a true legend gracing their two-bit building.

7th period meant Science Class. It was a fair-weather session; one that he had a love/hate relationship with. Diego easily trounced even the worst that the 8th grade level science class threw at him. The ten-year-old science and math prodigy was at the top of his grade and science class was particularly a breeze. However… it also posed a great challenge for the young boy. As soon as he swung open that class room door, he was well aware of how much he hated school.

The door squeaked open with enough volume to wake the dead and all eyes subsequently followed. The teacher, who was at the chalk board, heard Diego's entrance. The man, like any other educational head, loathed tardiness. And as he spun to address the "delinquent", he stopped short. Suddenly a smile slammed onto his homely face as he saw his favorite student standing there.

"Mr. Chavez!" He cheered, his eyes getting even wider from behind his thick, coke-bottle glasses. "So nice to see you!"

The boy just glowered at the teacher's embarrassing outburst. Inwardly aware of the science teacher's excited expression and the students' snickering, Diego marched up to his regular perch at the front of the class. Dropping his books with a loud sound, he sat with a sigh. That never deterred the looks on the class's faces OR the teacher's.

"Oh! Thank you for joining us, Mr. Chavez!" The clicking of metal hooks sounded as the homely redheaded teacher did a clumsy version of an excited dance. "I have wonderful news! But I'm not afraid to repeat myself for my _favorite_ student!"

Diego's eye twitched as more snickering rang out. The science teacher, who had hooked hands and left _foot_, thick glasses, dragon breath, tuffs of carrot-orange hair and a nose the size of a papaya, was never shy about his little "appreciation" of Diego. The ten-year-old expected the man to have a tattoo of his face somewhere on his homely body. Shivering with that visual, Diego tried to put his mind to what the teacher was babbling about.

"It's once again time for the Science Fair!" The man threw his hooked hands into the air and smiled as if he got to announce the greatest thing in the universe.

Diego actually appreciated the news. Another opportunity to flex his brainy muscles and make the kids of the Leone School feel inadequate. A devilish smile crossed his face too soon, because then he heard the rest of the news.

"So… class, please pair up in groups of two!" The teacher added, still beaming with excitement. Diego felt the rare sensation of fear compress his spine.

Suddenly the ten-year-old was flooded by students.

"Hey Diego! You wanna be partners?!" One kid tugged on his shirt. Diego recoiled like he was red-hot.

But he'd only bumped into someone else.

"Hey, Diego." A cute blond girl batted her blue eyes at him. "I'd like to be your partner."

And just as a shaken soda explodes, the ten-year-old was swamped by eager potential science partners. Just when Diego thought he'd have to physically fight his way out of the all-kid mob, the science teacher spoke up.

"SETTLE DOWN!" His nasally voice made all freeze. Diego was saved when the teacher came between him and all of the other kids. "Give Diego some _room_!"

The children shuffled back to their seats and sat anxiously. The ten-year-old boy breathed a sigh of relief. _Curse_ these middle school popularity fads! And then the teacher panned back to him.

"Well, Mr. Chavez." He began, folding his hooked hands neatly behind his back. "As it appears that the _whole_ class wants to be your partner, I'll give _you_ the option to choose your project buddy."

Not bad… but not good. He wanted to do this project alone! He didn't want any other kid _muddling_ up his thought process! As he glanced across the room and just as he was going to ask the science teacher if he could work solo, his crimson eyes caught sight of someone. One _chica_ in particular. An evil smile split Diego's face as he hopped up on his chair.

"I choose… Zoë Aves!" The ten-year-old proclaimed, pointing a finger at the resident goth and bully. The thirteen-year-old girl's eyes widened with surprise as she appeared to be jolted from her "goth" thoughts.

"_Qué_?" Zoë gave a puzzled expression when she found all eyes on her.

A chorus of disappointed moans and equally angry glares only intensified the girl's confusion. Quite pleased with himself, Diego hopped out of his chair and walked over to the bully's back corner table. Sitting smugly beside the bewildered Zoë Aves, the boy gave her an arrogant smirk.

"Easy… _A_." He remarked, his smirk turning into a biting smile. The girl's pale face tightened into the scowl she was famous for.

Mumbling Spanish curses under her breath, she turned in her chair and glared out the window. Diego's smile only grew. Finally the science teacher cleared his throat and walked back over to the calk board. The homely man began rattling off some needless subject ideas for the science fair. As the class's attention focused on the teacher again, Diego turned his attention to the lovely girl sitting next to him.

He straightened his glasses, tipped his hat forward and threw on a suave smile. Grasping the sides of his chair, Diego scooted dangerously close to the goth bully.

"Hola, Miss _Aves_." He whispered to her in a sing-song voice. "Looking _caliente_ today."

He'd never deny the goofy love-struck look on his face. Diego merely lost all of his self-respect when he was near this heavenly chica. Zoë turned in her seat, a repressed laugh held in her mouth and a knowing look in her cold eyes.

"_Smooth_, short-stuff." She teased quietly, amused by his nearness. Diego nodded.

"I'm Diego, baby." He snapped his fingers at her, smiling like he was irresistible. "_No_ one's smoother than me."

And the boy raised his eyebrows suggestively before giving her a wolfish purr. Zoë Aves clapped her hand to her mouth to prevent a giggle from escaping. Normally, any boy who had the nerve to shamelessly flirt with her got one of her fingerless goth gloves in his mouth. But this was Diego. She'd seen quite a lot of the ten-year-old nerd over the past two semesters and his goofy antics never failed to pull a smile onto her face.

"Nice acting, _suavecito_." The girl coyly remarked, punching him lightly in the shoulder. "Chu really had me believing chu don't care."

Diego rubbed his arm where the girl had hit him and felt heat rise to his face.

"And I expected YOU to be at the front of that 8th grade mob, _harpy_." The brainy boy teased. Zoë Aves rolled her red-purple eyes, still beautiful even though under heavy amounts of black makeup.

"Chu would have liked dat, wouldn't chu?" The girl still held to an amused smirk as she flipped her short purplish-black hair vainly. Diego merely quirked a playful eyebrow.

He tossed his thumb to the front of the class.

"Well, I'm sure that cute blond chica-" He didn't have the opportunity to finish when he found himself nearly yanked off of his chair by his shirt collar. Zoë glared poison at him, her knuckles curled into a foreboding fist.

"_FINISH_ dat sentence… I _**dare**_ chu!" The goth bully threatened loudly, her fist poised to rake across Diego's face. Silence rang out in the classroom.

"_Miss_ Aves!" The teacher barked, venom on his tone seeing that the girl was menacing his favorite student. Finally Zoë tore her eyes off of the ten-year-old in her grasp and looked at the man. "_Is_ there a problem?"

Those piercing red-violet eyes narrowed and her glossy scarlet lips rippled into a forced frown.

"No." She answered, her tone causing all kids to wince. The goth pushed Diego back and off of his chair.

On the floor and on the flat of his back, the boy felt a twisted smile come to his face. Finally, pulling himself onto his chair and straightened his hat, Diego had no problem shaking off Zoë's outburst. The science teacher gave Zoë an angered glare before continuing the lesson. As soon as the attention was off of him and his project partner, Diego snickered. Zoë shot him a venom glance.

The boy just gave her a wide, goofy grin. Her eyes sharpened with anger.

"I will beat chu into a _pulp_ in front of chur little fan club!" She hissed, turning in her chair to face him. "So _don't_ tempt me!"

Another demonstration of her fist drove home the point. Diego knew she could slaughter him with but a bat of her eyelashes. But that never stopped him from teasing his girlfriend.

"I wouldn't be Dr. Chipotle Jr. without tempting a little fate, now would I, _Cuervo_?" The boy then lowered his glasses slightly down his nose, revealing a flash of metal and a crimson iris.

Zoë Aves felt a strange mix of anger and charm as Diego once again carelessly flaunted his biggest secret.

"How many times…" The girl's shoulders went rigid with anger as she slapped his hand and making him drop his glasses back to his nose. "… do I have to tell chu NOT to do dat here? People are smarter den dey look!"

Diego pushed his thick-framed glasses back to their normal position.

"Dr. Chipotle Jr. doubts anyone in this classroom can spell "smarter"!" The boy let loose a small, evil chortle. Then he kicked his feet up on the table. "Besides, Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s got it MADE here. Loosen up!"

Zoë was a little more seasoned at this whole "public school/secret super-villain identity" thing. After all, she'd been going to public school for her entire life. But _Dr. Chipotle Jr_.… had not; he'd only enrolled two semesters ago. He was too careless and that could prove very costly.

Again, the girl pushed her boyfriend's feet off of the table and grabbed him by the front of the shirt.

"Listen, short-stuff." Zoë frowned, pulling Diego to her face. "I don't want chu being expelled because chu were too careless about chur secret identity. If everyone found out dat chu are a supervillain, den chu would be forced to leave and I wouldn't be able to see chu every day. So… don't… _push_… it! _Claro_?!"

Diego swallowed, the sensation of Zoë pulling out his soul and consuming it coming on with intensity. It always happened like this. He'd always push his luck with the mighty _Black Cuervo_ and then find himself tangled up in her claws, and at her mercy.

"OK. OK!" He whined. "I won't!"

Seeing that he'd surrendered, Zoë let Diego out of her grasp. Huffing, even though she'd won the fight, the girl returned her eyes to the chalkboard. The ten-year-old frowned and straightened his shirt. _What_ a harpy! For brief flashes, Dr. Chipotle Jr. would wish that he'd enough nerve to win an argument with Black Cuervo. Just ONCE! But NO! With a super-genius IQ, enough firepower to waste a building and the genetic expertise to make a living guacamole army, Diego STILL didn't have what it took to command a conversation with his girlfriend.

He was a powerful and revered super-villain; but not when it came to his romantic relationship with Zoë Aves.

"Have I ever told chu how cute chu look angry?" His goofy smile returned with a vengeance as he looked up at Zoë. The girl was staring at him, a loopy smile on her face.

Diego's knees went weak and a love-struck stare-down commenced.

"I could stand to hear it more, harpy." He responded, giving her the same amorous grin.

The boy and girl were deeply in love. Their relationship made school worth it; just as long as they could see each other everyday. But as deep in love as they were, they kept their romance a secret during school hours. If their relationship was discovered, it could put their most cherished secrets in jeopardy. You see… Diego Chavez and Zoë Aves were no ordinary schoolyard children. They were, in fact, super-villains.

7th period ended and thus the kids moved onto the 8th. 8th period was history. Not one of Diego's favorites but at least he was sharing the class with his best friend. He saw Sergio grabbing his books from his locker and took advantage of the change of classes for once.

"Hey Sergio!" The ten-year-old greeted the equally small thirteen-year-old Italian transfer student. Sergio turned his freckled face to his best friend just as he shut his locker.

"Ciao, Diego!" The Italian teen slapped Diego on the back, jarring his glasses. But Dr. Chipotle Jr. put up with the constant near-beatings that Italians called "greetings"; he considered Sergio the closest thing to a friend outside his laboratory. "Nice-a to see-a you compañero!"

After all the thirteen-year-old Italian boy was also a fellow _villain_.

"One more class and we're home free!" Diego chirped, thankful that another day in this drool-monkey school was drawing to a close. "Dr. Chipotle Jr. doesn't know how you can do it, Sergio! I'm nearly going mad with the trivial scholastic learning and feeble-minded peers!"

Sergio shrugged as he and his friend casually made their way to history class.

"It's-a not that-a bad, Diego." The thirteen-year-old nerd grinned. "Besides-a… I get-a to see mah soul-mate filly every day-a."

A wily grin came over Sergio's face as he thought of Frida Suárez. The ten-year-old mad scientist shook his head.

"Me too. Me too." He was of course referring to Zoë; not that Sergio knew of Black Cuervo's secret civilian identity.

Suddenly a jealous frown came over Sergio's face as he stopped walking.

"How is-a it, that-a YOU have a girl-a-friend-a and I-a DON'T?!" He growled, stomping a foot. "You are-a _three_ years-a younger than I am-a AND you-a don't have-a my exotic accent-a and-a _style_!"

An egotistical, amused, IF a little evil smile cracked over Diego's face.

"What can I say?" The ten-year-old shrugged smugly. "This chili… is spicy!"

He licked his finger and stuck to his hip, making the hissing sound along with it. Sergio rolled his red eyes jealously.

"So… what are-a you doing tonight-a?" The Italian boy hissed, balling fists. "Got-a date with your-a _raven_?"

Diego's face went red despite Sergio's openly hostile actions. Black Cuervo was indeed his raven and he DID have a date with her tonight; a STUDY date, that is.

"No." He shook his head, trying to force out his best pout. "I've got to tutor tonight… with Zoë Aves. We were _partnered_ for the Science Fair next week."

Sergio immediately recoiled in terror and sympathy, letting out an equally girly gasp. If only he knew Zoë Aves WAS Black Cuervo.

"So _sorry_, Diego." He put a hand on his friend's shoulder like he was about to die. Now it was even harder for Diego to keep a pout on his face and his fist at his side.

"Sometimes, I'm too smart for my own good." Speaking of which, Sergio's expression suddenly turned fearful. Zoë Aves herself was approaching them.

It was inevitable really; all students had to share the hallways. The goth bully scowled as she dug her heel into Diego's foot before swatting Sergio's hat from off of his head. Both nerdy boys were left bullied as the girl walked down the hall to social studies class. Sergio growled and plucked his hat from the floor.

"How-a you got-a stuck tutoring-a that she-viper-a is unfortunate-a, partner." The Italian boy muttered straightening his hat on his dark brown hair. But Diego was too busy watching his secret girlfriend walk away to respond correctly.

"Sí… it's-… QUITE a _shame_." He drawled, studying Zoë's lovely gate. She was like that; she always went out of her way to smack him just to show how much she cared.

The love taps never bothered Diego; seeing her walk away did always did. There were some times he had to fight the urge to pounce on Zoë, hugging her dearly. But that wouldn't be wise. He'd give away their relationship and part of their supervillain identity. Suddenly Sergio waved a hand in front of his face.

"Diego? Hello-a?" The thirteen-year-old called out. Finally the ten-year-old super genius snapped out of his stare and focused on his friend. "Let's-a get a move-a on-a, partner. The bell is-a about to ring-a."

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Review... LONG LIVE ROCK!


	2. A Love Supreme

Hola... another chapter! Enjoy!

As I rampage all over this city, all CJzilla has to roar is this: Review... Love or hate... I no care.

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Chapter 2

_A Love Supreme_

The last bell of the day rang not a moment too soon. Kids shot out of the school, pouring every opening, running out of the building like it was on fire. Even as Vice Principle Chacal threatened their running with detentions, summer school and premature death, the children blazed past the controlling man and poured out into the school's front yard. Diego and Sergio were among the first out and avoided getting trampled. Both boys were normally at the front of every line, since they were unglamorous eggheads with no social life; they got out of class quicker due to finishing their work earlier.

"After-a you tutor the-a wire-haired-a gargoyle, why-a don't you come-a over to-a my place?" Sergio offered his ten-year-old best friend as they left the gate of the school. "I-a just bought Super Macho Fighter 5 for-a my Game-a Box!"

Diego gave a little laugh.

"Spending your money after you robbed that bank yesterday, eh Sergio?" The boy grinned wickedly. Sergio matched his friend's baneful smirk with his own.

"Darn-a tootin'!" The thirteen-year-old Italian transfer student slapped his knee. "I-a blew past El Tigre like-a he was-a just an exercise-a."

"I know. Dr. Chipotle Jr. saw the news last night." Diego smirked, replaying a news channel clip of _Señor Sinestro_ kicking the candy out of Miracle City's resident teen superhero. "Dr. Chipotle Jr. laughed SO hard when you busted El Tigre's face through the bank door and then slammed it open!"

"I-a kicked it for-a good measure-a too." Sergio beamed proudly. The ten-year-old disguised mad scientist chuckled.

"Classic! El Tigre beats real nice, doesn't he?" Diego grinned.

The boys scarcely shared a laugh when, speaking of pummelings, someone pushed Diego from behind. The ten-year-old was shoved to the pavement.

The preteen instinctively rolled to the side. In a fraction of a second, Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s blood boiled. He twisted and was just a thought away from transforming his robotic arm into a laser gun and scattering his attacker's molecules all over the sidewalk. But when he locked eyes with his aggressor, he saw Zoë's purple-red orbs fixed on him. Butterflies returned to his stomach as it appeared time for another acting session with his favorite co-star.

"_Sopresa_, Chavez!" The goth bully scowled down at him. Sergio was frozen with surprise and fear as he saw the girl haul his friend to his feet. "Chu dare _desgracia_ me in class today?"

With that Zoë put Diego in a headlock and punched him in the gut. It a looked a lot worse than it actually was; both maintained their charade of hatred.

"Remember, short-stuff." The ten-year-old heard his girlfriend whisper to him between strokes. "Dinner at mi casa tonight."

"After Dr. Chipotle Jr. tutors you?" Diego gave a smug grin. Zoë returned it with another punch.

"Chu know it." She answered. Finally, she pushed him to the ground again.

"And dere's _more_ where dat came from if chu _ever_ shoot chur mouth off again!" Zoë threatened darkly. Then she snatched Diego's hat from his head and put it over her hair. "Adios… Chavez."

Shooting a glare over at Sergio, Zoë grabbed her backpack from the sidewalk and turned up her nose. The bully calmly strutted away. Finally Diego sat up and straightened his glasses.

"HOLY FRIJOLES!" Sergio threw his hands in the air as he helped his ten-year-old friend to his feet. "Are-a you gonna take-a that from-a her?"

The disguised mini mad scientist dusted off his shirt and pants.

"Dr. Chipotle Jr. kinda asked for it. Dr. Chipotle Jr. picked a fight with her." Diego tossed his glance forward and caught Zoë turn the corner. Sergio, however, was not so easily soothed.

Diego saw his best friend's hand clench into a fist.

"Partner-a…" The thirteen-year-old Italian boy growled. "You'd best-a do-a something about-a that-a mangy she-a devil."

The ten-year-old mini mad scientist needed damage control… _fast_! Without thinking, Diego gave Sergio a push. The teen transfer student looked stunned. Diego's brain swam for an explanation. Luckily for him, a rant was never far from his mouth.

"And how would it look if Dr. Chipotle Jr. were to attack Zoë Aves, Sergio?" Diego hissed. "Dr. Chipotle Jr. does _not_ want to risk spilling my secret identity OR leaving school just because of a goth _bruja_ with an anger complex!"

Sergio's surprise faded into annoyance.

"You-a gotta at _least-a_ get even with-a her-a." He frowned in irritation, folding his arms across his chest. Diego cast a fake angry glare at the corner Zoë disappeared behind.

"All in due time, mi amigo." He rubbed his small hands together, smiling wickedly. "Dr. Chipotle Jr. WILL take vengeance soon enough."

The Italian boy looked somewhat satisfied with his friend's outburst.

"Fine-a, Diego." He waved his hand, dismissing the subject. "What-a about comin' over for a video game-a?"

"Dr. Chipotle Jr. can't, Sergio." Diego's smile dropped a little. Sergio quirked a brow.

"Why-a not?" He complained. The ten-year-old shrugged.

"Curfew." Diego answered. "Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s father wants him home right after Dr. Chipotle Jr. tutors."

The thirteen-year-old Italian boy frowned.

"Gee-a. That's-a some harsh-a parenting-a." He pointed out. Inwardly, Diego disagreed.

Dr. Chipotle Sr., his father, wanted him home at ten o'clock. It wasn't the harshest curfew seeing that Dr. Chipotle Jr. had to tutor Zoë AND eat dinner with her and her family.

Sergio and Diego stood at the corner of the street. It was their crossroads; Sergio had to go right while Diego had to go left... toward home and the docks.

"Dr. Chipotle Jr. will give you a call tonight, Sergio." The short boy said, pressing the pedestrian button on the traffic light. Sergio sighed and nodded.

"All right-a, partner-a." The Italian transfer student agreed, putting on a grin. "Talk-a to you-a later, then-a. Adios."

Diego waved to his friend as he walked away and just as the lights turned. Walking across the street, the ten-year-old looked forward to shedding his disguise and slipping into something more comfortable. But as he rounded a corner in the sidewalk, he came face to face with three of Miracle City's resident delinquents. Diego immediately recognized the boys; bully thugs that habitually skipped school and terrorized the other kids. A dangerous frown came to Diego's face as the ring-leader of the trio lifted his black and purple sombrero and spotted him. The three boys stood from leaning on their wall and began to move over to him.

Normally they kept their distance from him, because Zoë had marked him as "her" geek. But now Diego was alone and seemingly perfect prey.

"Hola Chavez." The leader greeted, smiling what was left of fight-mangled teeth. The three brutes slowly neared, pounding their callused fists and cracking their knuckles. "We just want to _talk_ to you."

The ten-year-old boy's mind swam through the pros and cons of transforming his arm into a laser cannon and blasting the three bullies into next week. However, his thoughts rested on Zoë and what she would do if he'd spilled his secret on three of the city's idiots. So… he did what was next in his mind.

Placing a foot behind him, Diego quickly turned around and bolted.

"HEY!" He heard the bullies snarl. Then boys gave chase.

The three older and much bigger kids ran after the little nerd. They were close enough to spot the ten-year-old math and science prodigy dart into an alleyway. The bullies happened to know that this particular alley was a dead end. They'd easily catch the nerd, take his money and then beat him into a _masa_! The boys ran into the dead end. But they saw… that the lane was empty. Before they could process where Chavez had escaped to, the trio of brutes saw a flash of light. Something metal was hauled across their faces before the blackness of unconsciousness consumed them.

Dr. Chipotle Jr. recoiled his robotic fist. His scowl tightened when he saw that he'd knocked all three bullies into Candyland.

"No valor mi tiempo." The ten-year-old mini mad scientist growled. As he dropped down from a fire-escape.

The three boys were cowards, but he'd known that since he enrolled in school. They only attacked when he was alone. Typical cowardly move. He'd seen a lot of similarities between the schools resident thugs and El Tigre, his arch-nemesis. The thirteen-year-old hero was a coward. About half of a year ago, El Tigre had no problem picking a fight with the pint-sized mad scientist. But now… NOW El Tigre knew the full might of Dr. Chipotle Jr.

The ten-year-old supervillain calmly walked over to the three unconscious boys and wondered what he could do to them. Suddenly an idea flashed over his mind and the boy's robotic eye cast a sinister light on the KOed bullies. Dr. Chipotle Jr. raised his metal wrist to his face and pressed a single button, summoning one of his guacamole monsters.

Zoë Aves was walking home from school, or rather, _dancing_ home from school. The thirteen-year-old girl never felt the curious stares that followed her graceful movements as she passed another city block. Quite uncharacteristic of a goth let alone for Zoë Aves. But the girl couldn't help but feel her feet and body full of rhythm. And she couldn't help but move with the music feeding her soul.

It was love… at its finest.

Zoë loved the feeling that amore gave her insides. The sensation of little wings on her feet and her stomach filled with butterflies. She was bouncing across clouds and dancing through the sky. Her love-struck grin hadn't left her face for about six months now. It'd been six months since she'd gotten a quierito; half a year since she'd met Dr. Chipotle Jr. Granted, they were opposites. He was a science geek and she was a goth bully. By all accounts the only time a geek and a bully would cross is if the latter was beating the former or the former was tutoring the latter. But for Zoë and her boyfriend, that was only a cover for their real relationship. By day they were normal kids but by night… they were two of Miracle City's most feared supervillains.

Sadly, her good mood didn't go unnoticed by two of her classmates. Thirteen-year-old Frida Suárez and Manny Rivera were walking home from school too. After skipping about half of the day and spending their time at the video arcade, both had been minding their own business until they saw a very cheery, very light-footed Zoë Aves dance by them. Out of curiosity they trailed her for nearly two and a half blocks before they'd gotten close enough to speak with the eerily giddy goth bully.

"You feeling okay, Zoë?" Manny was the first to "greet" the girl. Zoë visibly jumped, stopping her dancing and whirling around at the familiar voice of the Rivera boy.

Her red-violet eyes were wide with surprise as she saw the hunky boy hero staring at her.

"Qué?" Zoë blurted out. But the feeling of surprise quickly faded when her eyes came to Frida.

Frida and Zoë were never friends; in fact, Zoë considered the little Suárez girl more of an enemy than White Pantera was to her supervillain alias.

"What are chu two doing here?" The goth bully questioned the two friends. Manny looked curious if a little amused while Frida was annoyed enough to shoot an insult at her worst enemy.

"Free country, _Zoë_. We can walk where we like, _when_ we like." Frida hissed through clenched teeth. The thirteen-year-old goth rolled her eyes, fluffed her hair and continued on her way.

A scowl slammed onto Zoë's pale face as she tightened her grips on her backpack straps. Of all the mood killers, Frida Suárez and Manny Rivera had to be on the same street as her. Frida's annoying presence was understandable but Manny… Manny was a different story.

Manny Rivera was also known as the boy super El Tigre. And as El Tigre… he managed to capture Zoë's heart at one point. But that was before she'd met and really got to know Dr. Chipotle Jr. For once, Zoë Aves felt her mind drift off to another boy… and he wasn't El Tigre.

Zoë felt rhythm return to her feet and a goofy smile rise on her face. Again her steps turned into dance moves. The girl suddenly forgot about everyone else and goofily staggered down the sidewalk, giggling.

"Hola Zoë!" Manny Rivera's voice blared through her rosy thoughts like an off-beat trumpet. Looking up from the sidewalk, the girl glanced to her right.

The thirteen-year-old heartthrob was walking beside her. Zoë cleaned her face and glared at him.

"What do chu want, Rivera?" She bit in a tired, aggravated voice. "Can't chu see I am trying to walk home?"

Manny seemed to be resistant to her venom-like tone and the daggers she was glaring at him. The boy gave a warm smile.

"I didn't know you could dance." Zoë didn't expect that and surprise drowned out her charade. Turning her face away from him, she tried to hide a blush.

"I've always known how to dance, Rivera." She barked. "Now go back to Frida and leave me alone!"

Manny chuckled.

"Just when I think I know you, Zoë, you surprise me." The boy commented, stepping in front of her. Zoë bumped into him, letting out a nervous squeak.

She frowned at him but was unable to wipe that super-macho smirk off of his face.

"I don't care!" Zoë jumped back, her face now terribly red. "Now leave me alone!"

The goth sidestepped to get around him but Manny stepped with her. Zoë's blood boiled.

"I will give chu two seconds, Rivera to get out of my way." She made a fist and put it in Manny's face. "One… Two…-!"

Still Manny hadn't moved. Anger flushed her face as her rage bubbled. That was IT!

"Shouldn't chu be trying to save chur reputation?" Zoë drew up an insult from the darkest pits of her heart. "Tres weeks is a long time to go without a victory."

The boy's expression immediately dropped as she touched a raw nerve. Zoë was grateful her words penetrated Manny's cocky exterior.

"Dis hasn't been El Tigre's month, has it?" She grinned. The question was rhetorical; just a glance at ONE of Miracle City's newspapers and you could tell that El Tigre was losing nearly every battle he fought in. "De last time Dr. Chipotle Jr. and Black Cuervo fought with chu, chu couldn't claw churself out of a paper bag. I'd be worried if I was chu, Rivera."

The young Rivera boy's face darkened considerably. Zoë even wondered if he had enough anger to lash back.

"Lucky… that's all those two pea-brained supervillains are." Manny mumbled back. The girl rolled her red-violet eyes.

"Chu should know de signs of defeat by now, Rivera." Zoë gave him a cold look. The boy only returned it with a purely angered glance.

"Those two are just working together because they are scared to face me alone. If Dr. Chihuahua and I ever rumbled again, he'd lose." Now Zoë was feeling Manny's finger on her gut. NO one talks about Dr. Chipotle Jr. like that.

"But he did, six months ago." She felt her fingers twitch and, despite being without her Black Cuervo talons, long to dig deep into the boy's head. "Chur memory is just as bad as chur fighting skills."

Manny snapped his eyes back up at her.

"What do you know, Zoë?" He snapped back. "You weren't there!"

Oh, but she was and had a front row seat to see the Rivera family taken down by one tough little boy.

"I didn't have to. I read de news and just by the look on chur face, I can see de truth." The thirteen-year-old girl matched Manny's baneful glare with her own.

The teen superhero only grew angrier.

"Well, I would have beaten him by now if he wasn't always hiding behind his _girlfriend_." The word "girlfriend" dripped out with enough spitefulness that it was poisonous. Zoë studied the look of jealousy on Manny Rivera's face.

In times past, that resentful expression usually came to _her_ face when she had feelings for El Tigre. It was so odd seeing the tables turned and watching Manny Rivera envy Black Cuervo's affections. Zoë felt her heart thunder in her chest and her words leave her.

Thankfully the earth beneath their feet jolted and screams filled the air, ending the argument. Looking up, both teens watched as vehicles and people rushed away from a big, green guacamole monster. It was the creation of a certain tween mad scientist.

"Mi querito." Zoë swooned softly, her loopy smile washing over her face. Manny, however, did not appreciate the monster's timing.

"Get to your house, Zoë; you're not safe here." But when he looked back to the goth girl, she was already bolting down the sidewalk, passing Frida without a glance.

Surprised but relieved, Manny lifted his shirt and swiftly spun his mystical El Tigre belt. It was time for battle.

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R&R! LONG LIVE ROCK!


	3. Winning

Another chapter... sorry it's late.

As I rampage all over this city, alls CJzilla has to roar is this: Love... hate... review...

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Chapter 3

_Winning_

A ten-year-old boy with wild brown hair, a metal left arm, robotic right eye and laboratory smock smiled wickedly as he felt the Miracle City breeze blow across him. Dr. Chipotle Jr. stood on a rooftop of a building, his hands folded neatly behind his back admiring the cityscape as the wind played with his hair and smock. For being nearly four o'clock, the streets below were unusually empty. But a crash of metal and glass gave the reason for such lonely streets.

Dr. Chipotle Jr. was letting his guacamole monster burn of its energy; his father had been too busy to take it for a walk. What better playground than the city?

Suddenly a familiar rumble came to the boy's ears. Dr. Chipotle Jr. lit up with joy as he spun around, hungrily searching the air. Seconds later SHE emerged from the weave of buildings. A stream of thick, black smoke left her jet pack as the afternoon sun shown off of her glossy black and purple helmet. And she was coming _right_ for him.

He wasn't sure how many times he shouted and waved his arm by the time Black Cuervo tackled him. And he wasn't sure how many times they rolled before he was hauled to his feet and kissed. The boy wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. Six months of this and Dr. Chipotle Jr. would admit that he'd gotten to be a better kisser. Those sharp talons only touched his back and head; it was a feeling of being cradled in the claws of an eagle. Birds… Dr. Chipotle Jr's obsession for half a year now.

Finally Cuervo broke the kiss and mulled her lip; something she did every time she kissed him.

"Buenos dias, Black _Cuervo_." Dr. Chipotle Jr. greeted, pulling the girl into his metal arm's clutches. He spun her and dipped her.

He saw her pale face flush red from under that purple eye mask as he gave another purr.

"We've _GOT_ to keep meeting like dis, short-stuff." The girl tittered back. Dr. Chipotle Jr. let his girlfriend back to her feet.

"Dr. Chipotle Jr. says so, mi vida." The preteen supervillain agreed, tickling her chin with a gloved finger. Cuervo giggled giddily.

She punched him in the arm.

"What are chu doing out here?" The teen supervillainess questioned, gesturing to the high rooftop. "I know chu don't like heights."

The girl gave him a mischievous expression that Dr. Chipotle Jr. couldn't help but grin to.

"Dr. Chipotle Jr. is just letting my monster run around before Dr. Chipotle Jr. goes home." He answered, tossing a thumb at the shaft of smoke coming from the building his guacamole monster was destroying.

Black Cuervo nodded yet her smile never altering. Dr. Chipotle Jr. found her smile irresistible as he reached out to her again.

"But if going to high places means getting you back into Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s arms-" the preteen pulled her close and moved with her, dancing to some unheard music that was pounding in his ears. "-Dr. Chipotle Jr. doesn't mind at all."

The teen girl giggled even louder as she stepped in rhythm with him.

"Chur words are always sweeter than azúcar, short-stuff." She beamed, closing her eyes as he spun her. Dr. Chipotle Jr. grinned at her.

"For you, mi amore, anything." The ten-year-old returned, dipping her again, their lips only inches apart. But suddenly they heard something that sounded like a violin being shredded by lawn mower.

Lips still puckered, both supervillians glanced up and saw the superhero El Tigre standing just by the building's edge, someone's cable TV antenna in his claws, strangling it with such much anger that he'd warped it into a tangle. Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s face darkened as he let Black Cuervo up and stood protectively in front of her.

"Your timing is horrible, as usual El Tigre." The pint-sized scientist glowered. "Now how do you want your molecules? Scrambled or fried?"

With a menacing click, the boy's metal hand transformed into a big red orb that began to glow as he raised his aim to his most hated enemy. El Tigre dropped the TV antenna, the tuffs of white fur on his mask twitching. Manny Rivera looked past Dr. Chipotle Jr. to Black Cuervo, who too, was glowering at him.

"I can't understand WHY you _like_ this little weirdo!" El Tigre shouted at the teen villainess, hands in the air. "I can smell his breath from WAY over here!"

A tic of fury came to Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s eye as his laser blaster glowed brighter. But the teen hero continued his rant, marching forward.

"He's short, half robot and you can do a _million_ times better!" El Tigre continued, waving wildly. Cuervo narrowed her red-violet eyes at the boy, his resentful words still fresh in her mind.

"What's de matter Tigre? _Jealous_?" To Zoë, that word left her mouth like a ray of sunshine; payback never sounded so sweet. And she relished the look of honest and pure jealousy slam onto Manny's masked face.

"Jealous? El Tigre? _Never_!" He spat back, fists clenched so tight his knuckles nearly left his sockets. His anger only spiked when Dr. Chipotle Jr. guffawed at him.

"You are SO!" The mini mad scientist pointed at him, never biting down a mocking laugh. Manny raged when he saw Dr. Chipotle Jr. wrap an arm around Cuervo, pull her tightly against him and smile like he couldn't be stopped.

"Am not!" The teen wonder raked his teeth together. Dr. Chipotle Jr. rolled his crimson eye.

"Pfft! Are so." The pint-sized supervillain scoffed.

"Am not!"

"Are so."

"Am NOT!"

"Are… _SO_! Cuervo is mine, El Tigre; get over it." The ten-year-old challenged. "You lost to the better man."

Manny lost his temper. The teen super snarled and bolted forward, those metal claws glistening with speed. Diego and Zoë barely had time to jump apart before El Tigre sliced the air between them. Dr. Chipotle Jr. fired a shot from his blaster and caught Manny in the side. The teen yelped at the sting and tripped. On his knees, he punched the rooftop and he growled.

"Lucky shot!" El Tigre fumed, jumping to his feet again, seeing red. The pint-sized scientist chortled.

"Lucky THIS, Tigre!" A volley of super-heated laser fire followed. Manny strained to move out of Dr. Chipotle Jr.'s crosshairs.

Dancing about as laser blasts peppered around his feet, the teen hero slowly gained ground on the mini mad scientist. With a final pounce, Manny balled a fist and drove it across Dr. Chipotle. Jr.'s face. The ten-year-old reeled, falling to the roof hard. El Tigre jumped onto the boy, pinning his laser blaster to the ground. Both rivals had a second to glare each other down before the teen hero raised his claws above his head.

Suddenly another laser blast hit Manny on the back of his poised hand; it was Black Cuervo. The boy exclaimed in pain, clutching his smoking wrist to his stomach. Dr. Chipotle Jr. saw his window. Shoving his laser orb into Manny's chin, the hero was thrown off of him. El Tigre flew into the air some distance. Dr. Chipotle Jr. had a clear shot to end the fight. But Cuervo's jet pack filled his ears. In hawk-like style, the villainess seized El Tigre in mid air and yanked him upwards. Diego smirked as he held his jaw and watched Black Cuervo fly off with the teen hero. Manny Rivera was dead _meat_.

Zoë gunned her engines as she shot straight up into the sky, making El Tigre's ride as uncomfortable as possible. The thirteen-year-old girl was angry, reasonably so. El Tigre was jealous of Dr. Chipotle Jr. It disgusted her. It disgusted her as it made old feelings rear their ugly head. She should have learnt her lesson by now! She should know that Manny Rivera was a chronic heartbreaker! Zoë was dating Dr. Chipotle Jr. _anyway_! But the thirteen-year-old villainess still had ghosts of feelings for Manny Rivera; though she tried to deny it. And that made the feelings of guilt _fester_ inside of her.

Suddenly Cuervo spotted a flag pole of a seventy-story building. A twisted smile came over her face as she plunged for it.

Faster than Manny could react, he was strung up by his underwear. He dangled there nearly three hundred feet above the ground, the pain and humiliation, excruciating.

"Don't worry El Tigre!" He heard Black Cuervo snarl. "I hear dat gatos land on their feet!"

With a wicked cackle, the bird-based supervillain flew off. Manny held in a scream of pain. He'd lost _again_ to Cuervo and Dr. Chipotle Jr. Could those two not be stopped?

By the time Zoë dropped back onto her rooftop, Dr. Chipotle Jr. was summoning his guacamole monster. With a shrill whistle, the ten-year-old called his rampaging creature. Dr. Chipotle Jr. looked over the city's horizon as he felt Zoë standing next to him. The ten-year-old smirked as he saw a green mass lumber toward the building.

"El Tigre should know better than to pick fights with us, huh, mi vida?" Dr. Chipotle Jr. turned to look at Cuervo only to see her staring at his cheek. He bashfully placed his glove over the now-forming bruise. "It's nothing, Cuervo. Dr. Chipotle Jr. has taken much worse."

His crimson eyes fell to their feet, feeling a hint of embarrassment over Manny's cuff. But Zoë took his hand from his cheek and placed a soft kiss over his battle mark.

"Dis is why I am here, querito." The girl whispered into his ear. "We are partners. Thanks for letting me have de last punch."

It wasn't like Zoë to be so mushy without casting in some flirting, but Diego wasn't complaining. He smiled and closed his eyes, hugging his girlfriend, pleasantly oblivious to the look on her face. Zoë's inward battle between her feelings for El Tigre and Dr. Chipotle Jr. surfacing on her expression. She cuddled close to him and inhaled the onion and garlic on his clothes, trying to drown out the uncertainty inside her. It worked.

A timid but deafening growl broke the moment. Cuervo and Dr. Chipotle Jr. parted and looked up to see the guacamole monster peering at them.

"Bad timing, monster!" The ten-year-old mad scientist shook his head. The food-based creature just yawned in return.

Diego chuckled and turned to his querita.

"Dr. Chipotle Jr. will see you shortly then, baby." He grinned wolfishly at her, his robotic eye shining in the evening sunlight. Zoë punched him in the arm.

"I will give chu thirty minutes. And if chu don't show for our study date… I'll come and get you." She smiled, walking her talons up the front of his smock. Dr. Chipotle Jr. swallowed hard.

"B-Bueno… Dr. Chipotle Jr. will then… uh… see you." His face was turning dark red, he could feel it. Zoë laughed at him, making it worse.

"Adios, short stuff." She cooed, opening her Cuervo wings and jumping into the air. In a blast of exhaust and heat, the thirteen-year-old villainess left him there.

Dr. Chipotle Jr. let out a jovial if a little love-struck giggle before turning to his guacamole monster.

"Home… NOW!" He commanded, snapping his fingers and pointing. The creature did as it was told, curling a hand around its tiny master and making its way toward the Miracle City docks.

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Review! LONG LIVE ROCK!


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